Love at first sight
by Catonis
Summary: Amy meets a young new hedgehog named Zack and falls in love with him. It truly is love at first sight. Please R&R! *COMPLETE* sequel coming soon
1. Chapter 1

Well here's a new fanfic I just thought up. Hope you enjoy! Rated T for mild language and violence in the later chapters.

The pink hedgehog pushed her way through a crowd looking for someone. When she got through she saw a glimpse of the familiar blue spikes she knew so well. "Sonic!" She yelled out and hugged the hedgehog. But when she looked up it wasn't him at all. The tips of the hedgehogs spikes were blue but the rest of his fur was a forest green. She blushed and stepped away. "I'm so sorry I thought you were someone else!" Amy him.

"Don't worry about it." The other hedgehog said. "My name's Zack. You are?"

"I'm Amy. Amy Rose." She said in return. Looking at him, this boy Zack was kinda cute. And his attitude and just about everything else about him was so caring and welcoming. Everything from his white tennis shoes to his midnight blue jean jacket.

"Well Miss Rose it was nice to meet you." He said smiling. And then he began to walk away.

"Wait!" Amy began not knowing what she would say. She just didn't want his warm presence to leave her. He stopped and turned around.

"Yes Miss Rose?" He said.

"Um... Do you wanna... Maybe do something sometime?" She said scuffling her foot against the ground nervously. Zack's face went from slightly confused to smiling again.

"Sure Rose. Me and my band are having a concert downtown. I can probably get you in for free if you want." He offered.

"Sure..." She said. In her mind she was as happy as could be. When they both walked away from each other she began twirling and skipping her way home. She forgot completely about chasing Sonic and all that was left in her mind was Zack. The few midnight blue strands of fur going down into his face, that wonderful smile, everything about him she had thought was only possible in her dreams. But he was real.

She got home and went to take a shower. It was getting late so she took a quick shower, got into her pajamas, and went to sleep with dreams of the dreamy new hedgehog she had fallen in love with.

Well there you go. I hope you like it. I had this in my mind for a while and finally decided to write it. Please read and review!!!


	2. Chapter 2 The Date

Here's the second part. Enjoy! I also don't own Sega or the Sonic characters. But Zack is mine. MINE!!!!!

Amy woke up feeling great. She took a shower and put on her familiar red dress, headband, and shoes, and began walking downtown. She had talked to Zack over the phone a minute ago and Zack assured her that she could get in free. Amy couldn't wait to see him play. When she got downtown there was a small crowd of people waiting for the band to be finished setting up. She saw Zack and waved. He was testing the microphone but saw and waved back. After a few minutes the show started with: Carry on My Wayward Son and continued on to Don't Stop Believing. Then after a short break Zack came up to the microphone holding his guitar and said, "This song is for someone in the crowd today." They then launched into She Will be Loved. And Amy knew it was for her. "Beauty queen of only eight-teen she, had some trouble with herself," The song began. Within a a minute she was sitting at a table immersed in the song and visions of her and Zack together. "I don't mind spendin' every day, out on your corner in the pourin' rain, look for the girl with the broken smile, ask her if she wants to stay awhile, and she will be loved..." When the song ended she clapped and cheered louder then anyone else.

After the concert ended she met up with Zack and his band backstage. She was stopped for a moment by security but Zack came by and told them it was okay. She came onto the stage and saw Zack's fellow band members. The drummer was in the corner packing up the drums. She was a fiery red fox. The bassist was putting his bass lovingly in it's case. He looked like a greyish echidna but she didn't get a good look. The keyboard player had his keyboard on his back and was walking their direction. He was a dark purple wolf by the looks of him. Zack high-fived the wolf as he they walked by each other. Amy walked alongside him and Zack said that the wolf's name was Johnny. He walked her over to the other band members and introduced her. "Hey guys. This is Amy."

"Ooooooooo!" The other two said at the same time looking at each other. Zack rolled his eyes.

"Anyway guys can you guys leave the stuff at my house? I'm taking Amy out later." He said. Amy jumped for a moment. When did they schedule that? Zack pulled down his sunglasses a bit and winked at her. "Anyway here's the key Julie." He said handing the key to the drummer.

"Why do you always let her do it?" The bassist asked looking comically offended.

"Because I know you'll steal my stuff Rory." They all shared a laugh as Rory did a mock putting routine. "Alright guys, I'll see you later." Zack said walking away with Amy. Amy felt great. She was going to go out Zack. That meant they were officially dating!

They walked around people-watching and arguing now and then over where they were going to eat at. They finally decided at Zack's favorite Mexican restaurant. She liked spicy foods anyway and Zack said they were really good. They walked in and the place wasn't too busy so there were plenty of tables. The server at the front recognized Zack instantly. "Zack!" He said affectionately. They had a small hug.

"Hey Cresenscio!" Zack said back.

"Table for two?" He said already knowing the answer. He grabbed to menus when Zack nodded and walked them to a quiet place in the back. They picked up the menus and skimmed through them now and then starting a small conversation.

"Hmmm I can't decide." Amy said closing the menu. "What are you getting Zack?" She asked.

"I'm getting the molechiete.(I don't know if I spelled it right)" He told her. "It's like a stew with chicken, steak, and mushrooms."

"Mmmm sounds good." She said. Cresenscio came by with a small notepad and asked if they were ready to order. Zack ordered a virgin daiquiri and his meal and Amy ordered the same. It was silent for a second. "Say... Zack... What was your childhood like?" She asked. Zack got a horrible look on his face for a moment. It was like he had just seen a murder. "Oh Zack I'm so sorry... Just forget about it..." She told him. She wanted to get to know him better, but not hurt him.

When the waiter came by with their food Amy once again ventured into the lion's den by asking where he met his bandmates. Zack took a long drink of his daiquiri and sighed. "Well, me and Rory met through a music program, and me and Julie have been friends since I was a kid. Johnny on the other hand we found in the paper. We wanted a piano player so we looked through a couple of people and found him." He looked upwards as though he was thinking and continued. "And then we just sorta became The Olympians one piece at a time." He finished taking a bite of his meal.

When they finished their meal the waiter brought over their receipt and left them to talk for a few minutes, sipping on what was left of their daiquiris. Amy was about to take some money out of her purse when Zack said that he would pay for it. She was about to protest but Zack said that he had gotten paid for the show and wanted to celebrate anyways.

As they walked back it was getting late so Zack took Amy to his favorite spot on the beach. They sat there watching the sun set. Amy felt like she had jumped right into a romance movie. Amy cuddled into his soft welcoming green fur. After a while Zack walked her home and the night was finished. Amy lied down into her bed that night knowing that this was a day she would not soon forget.

Well that's it for chapter two! Please R&R and I hope you enjoyed and are awaiting the next chapter. By the way the restaurant they went to is based off one in my neighborhood.


	3. Chapter 3 Sonic finds out

This one's gonna have a couple of big twists! I again don't own Sega etc.

Sonic had watched Amy's date with Zack carefully studying the hedgehog. What was with Amy? Just the other day she was crazy about him and now this guy? He was angry. He didn't know how to express it any other way then that. When he told Tails, Tails said he was just jealous. What did he know anyway? Aside from ya know... Everything... She couldn't let Amy see this guy anymore.

Amy awoke to her alarm clock. And just when she was having the most wonderful dream. Her and Zack were about to... Never mind that. She was going to meet up with the real Zack. She ran outside to see Zack in his usual outfit standing outside waving. "Zack what are you doing here?" She asked walking towards him.

"I was going to go downtown and wanted to know if you wanna come." He told her.

"Oh okay then. Yeah sure Zack." She said with a smile. Downtown was busy and bustling as usual. They were walking when they were were interrupted by a blue blur. Zack was punched in the face and sent to the ground. He rubbed a bit of blood off his mouth and saw none other then Sonic the Hedgehog standing there.

"What the hell man? What's your problem?" He said getting up and staring at Sonic with an angry look. Sonic looked at Amy.

"So Amy who is this creep!?" Sonic yelled out. Several people were beginning to stare.

"Sonic! That 'creep' is my boyfriend!" She yelled right back.

"Sonic..." Zack said. "Oh! I'm so sorry." He dusted himself off and held out his hand for a handshake. "I'm Zack Haven. I've heard a lot about you. And you also apparently have a very nice punch." He said smiling. Sonic got even more angry and turned back to him.

"Oh so now you're just mocking me!!!" He yelled out. Zack looked confused and hurt. Sonic grabbed his arm and snapped it backwards causing a cry of pain from Zack and gasps from many people around them. Zack fell to the ground trying not to yell out again. "C'mon Amy." He said picking up Amy and running away.

"PUT ME DOWN!!!" She yelled smacking Sonic on the head. When he finally put her down she was furious. "WHAT THE HELL SONIC!?"

"Amy this is for your own good." He said.

"FAMOUS LAST WORDS SONIC!!! You're just jealous you know that?!"

"JEALOUS!?" He yelled back matching her volume. "You think that's what this is about?!"

"Look Sonic..." She took a deep shaky breath. "I gave you plenty of chances Sonic. More then I should have. I can't waste my whole life on you Sonic. Goodbye." She finished and walked away. Sonic forgot how to breathe for a moment. That was it. She was gone.

When Amy got back she saw Zack on a bench surrounded by people. He kept telling them he was fine and there was no need to call 911. He got up and began limping home clenching his, now broken, right arm. Amy caught up and helped carry him home. When they got there Zack fell back onto the couch while Amy grabbed the First Aid Kit. They disinfected his cuts and bandaged his bruises. Then there was his arm. "You may want to look away and cover your ears Rose." He told her. She did so and he snapped his arm back into place manually. He then tore a shirt into strips and used it as a makeshift sling.

The two sat there for a long while. When Zack noticed it was getting late he turned to Amy. "Say Rose shouldn't you be heading home?" He asked.

"Actually I was wondering..." She began, "If I could stay here with you tonight." Zack smiled.

"Sure Rose." He said. He showed her where the shower was and got her some pajama pants and an overly long shirt. "I'll leave these outside the door." He said and went to get ready to go to sleep himself. She took a long shower thinking over the days events. When she got out and put on her pajamas she walked out and found Zack. His house was rather large and nice. "There you are Rose. Your room is this way." He said. Pointing to a room down the hall. My room's right next to it so feel free to wake me up if anything is wrong." But she knew not to wake him up. Even just by looking into his eyes she could tell he was completely drained.

She tried to sleep but couldn't. She kept having thoughts about Zack and Sonic. In the end she sneaked her way into Zack's bedroom and fell asleep listening to his steady breathing and slept peacefully through the night.  
_______________________________________________________________________

Well there's chapter 3 for ya. Please R&R!


	4. Chapter 4 Intervention

Alright chapter 4 is here. Sonic's in for it! Enjoy!

Amy slowly opened her eyes to find that Zack was no longer there. However she smelled something being cooked. She went downstairs and saw Zack flipping a pancake with his good arm. He looked back and saw her. "Hey there sleepy head." He said. "Want some pancakes?"

"Zack..." She felt bad. Sonic broke his arm and now he was making her breakfast.

"Well yes or no?" Zack asked smiling.

"Sure." She answered putting on a fake smile. Zack frowned a bit.

"C'mon now. Cheer up. It's not all bad." He said laying a plate of pancakes in front of her and sitting down.

"Oh yeah? What's the bright side?" Amy asked.

"Well I get to spend more time with you." He said. Amy blushed. They ate their breakfast cheerfully. When they finished Zack tossed the dishes in the sink and said he'd wash them later. They sat down in the living room and discussed what they would do today.

Lately many people had been looking at Sonic funny. People had also moved away from him whenever he came near. What? He had done nothing wrong. _This is probably about the other day._ He thought remembering yesterday. He hadn't felt bad at all. He knew it was for Amy. Deep down inside though his conscience always questioned him. _Was it for Amy Sonic? Was it? Or are you just jealous that Amy is happy with somebody and now you've got no one? _Sonic shook these thoughts out of his head. He knew what he had done was right. If he ever saw that asshole with Amy again he didn't even know what he would do.

As Amy and Zack were about to leave they heard a knock at the door and opened it up to find Tails and Knuckles standing there. "Hey guys what's up?" Amy asked.

"Look guys..." Tails began. "We need to talk. About Sonic." Zack got a look on his face that was half sad half confused. They motioned to follow. Zack and Amy followed them all the way to Sonic's house. Tails took out a key and unlocked the door. They stepped in to find their other friends including: Silver, Cream, Blaze, and even Rouge and Shadow. They asked what was going on. Tails explained that they were having an intervention for Sonic.

Sonic walked home and opened his door to find his friends in his living room. They were seated in chairs in a big circle all around the room. There was Shadow, Silver, Blaze, Cream, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, and... Him. "What's going on guys?" He said with a hint of anger in his voice.

"Sonic. Take a seat." Knuckles said motioning to a seat in the middle of the circle. Sonic sat and crossed his arms looking at the people surrounding him. They all had sad expressions on their faces, especially Amy. Tails began.

"Sonic, we need to talk about you and Zack. All of us." Sonic got up, outraged.

"That's what this is about? This douchebag?" He said pointing at Zack. Several of them looked down and Cream looked like she was going to cry.

"Sonic we've all prepared something we'd like to say to you." Blaze said holding a coin in her hand. "Do you mind sitting back down?" Sonic sat. "Sonic... Ever since Zack and Amy started going out, you haven't been the same person." She passed the coin to Silver.

"Sonic. We used to be great friends. We used to hang out all the time and it was great. But now... You haven't even really spoken to me or anyone." He passed it to Shadow. Shadow looked deep in thought for a moment then began.

"Sonic. We were always rivals. Deep down... I kind of appreciated having someone I could face off against. But now you've been to busy with this to do anything." He passed it to Cream. Cream wiped the tears off her face.

"Sonic. You were always a great person. I admired you and looked up to you. But now look what you've become." She began to cry again and passed it to Tails.

"Sonic. You were my best friend and partner. We had so many experiences and adventures together. I don't know what I'd do without you sometimes. But this has gone way to far." By this point Sonic had almost started crying but still looked down disbelieving what they had said. Tails passed it to Knuckles.

"Sonic. You used to be an incredible person. I always looked up to you and your easygoing lifestyle, wishing I could be like that. But now you've destroyed the thing that made you so great." Knuckles passed it to Amy.

"Sonic." She began. Sonic looked up and had red eyes which meant he probably had been crying silently the whole time he had been looking down. "I may have thought I loved you but... I was only fooling myself. I didn't know what love meant then. And I'm still not sure I do now." She began to get a few tears in her eyes and passed it to Zack. Zack sat for a moment then began.

"Well Sonic. I know we were never really great friends but, I want you to know that I've always respected you and saw you as an equal. I want you to know that even in this time I still see you the same way." After this he held out his hand for a handshake with a smile. Sonic at first looked as though he might punch Zack again so Zack put his hand down and braced himself to be hit and closed his eyes. Everyone else did the same. But when Zack didn't feel Sonic punch him he opened his eyes and saw Sonic holding out his hand. They shook hands and both smiled. In the handshake Zack held the coin and let Sonic grab it. Everybody got up and ran to them showering them with hugs. (except Shadow who was clearly too cool.)

"Alright Zack but I'm keeping an eye on you okay?" Sonic said after the hug-fest was over. Zack nodded and everyone left. Sonic sat down and let out a huge sigh looking at the coin. It had a picture of two dragons twisting around each other and had the inscription: "Forever Friends" along with everybody's names. He lied back and took a long nap.

Zack and Amy walked back downtown to the same restaurant they had gone to before. "Hey Cresenscio table for two?" He said coming in and seeing Cresenscio at the front desk. They got a table in the back and began to talk about the events they had just witnessed. "So you think Sonic'll be okay?" Zack asked drinking his daiquiri.

"I think so. What everyone said seemed to have a huge affect on him." Amy answered taking a drink as well. When they finished their drinks Zack left some money on the table and they left.

"Well I'm heading home Rose." He said after they had been walking around for a while. "You okay to walk home?"

"Sure Zack but why so early?" She asked him. It was only 5:30.

"I'm going to bed early. I'm a little drained lately." He answered. "Bye Rose." He said walking away waving. Amy waved back until he disappeared from her sight. She walked home alone thinking about Zack. _Is something wrong with him?_ She wondered. He seemed to be okay on the outside but when she looked into his eyes there was always something else on his mind. _What could it be? _She took a shower and went to bed. _I hope he's okay._

Hooray! Sonic's better! But what could be wrong with Zack? DUN DUN DUN!!!


	5. Chapter 5 The Zero Emerald

And now for the biggest twist yet!

Amy awoke at about 5 a.m. It was strange. She usually didn't awake unless she set her alarm clock. But all night she had been having nightmares. Over and over again she saw a hedgehog murdering all her friends. She couldn't see the hedgehog's features though because it was really blurry. She decided not to worry and ate a quick breakfast waiting for Zack to call. She watched T.V. Until around 8:30 and then started getting worried. Zack was always an early bird. He often called her at 7 or earlier. She decided to go check it out. She put on her dress and shoes and walked over to Zack's house worrying the whole way.

When she got to his house she knocked on the door and no one answered. She knocked a few more times but there was still no answer. She checked to see and sure enough, it was unlocked. She looked around and heard banging coming from the basement. She was a bit scared but walked down there to check it out. When she stuck her head around the corner she saw Zack jabbing at a punching bag fiercely. He wasn't wearing the sling but had more bandages on it then his other hand. He didn't seem to notice her so she walked a little further down until she was at the bottom step. Before she knew it she was looking down the barrel of a handgun. Zack was looking at her in a way she had never seen him before. His eyes blazed with anger. In his eyes she saw everything she needed to know. He had suffered more in his lifetime then most people ever would. "What are you doing here." He said in a gruff voice and pulled back the hammer on the gun. She looked shocked and backed away a bit.

"Zack... Are you okay?" Amy asked looking scared and concerned. As fast as it begun it was over. His eyes turned back to their normal look and he fell to his knees breathing hard. She held him and helped stand him back up. Zack leaned against the wall trying to catch his breath. "Zack what happened?"

"Sorry Rose." He said throwing the gun to the corner. "I can't really explain but I've had a bad feeling about today."

"Zack if something is wrong I want to help you." She told him. "Besides you shouldn't be doing something like this with your arm the way it is."

"Nah it's okay. It's actually feeling a lot better." He said with a weak smile. "C'mon let's go." He said walking up the stairs. Was he okay? Amy wondered. But she brushed that thought aside and knew he would tell her if something was wrong. Zack put on his jacket and sunglasses and they walked out together.

They walked to the park and sat for a while watching people, animals, and everything else that found it's way there. After a while they got hungry and went to a nearby cafe to get something to eat. Zack an iced tea and a muffin. Amy got the same and they ate in silence. Zack had been really slow and silent today. She could tell something was wrong. "Zack?" She asked.

"Hm?" He said looking up. She saw his eyes and there were extremely red, as though he got no sleep the night before.

"I know something's wrong Zack. Please tell me. I need to be able to help you." She said, almost begging.

"Rose I swear, nothing's wrong." He replied. Amy looked down sadly.

"Zack if you can't tell me these things I don't know how this is going to work out." She said.

"Rose..." They finished their food and walked out. Zack kept his arm around Amy but she didn't react much.

A lone figure stood on the rooftop watching the two hedgehogs. He had several knifes in his belt and a sword on his back. He finally decided the time was right and jumped.

As they walked Zack stopped and sighed. Out of nowhere he was hit in the shoulder with a knife. He yelled in pain and fell against the wall. "Zack!" Amy yelled and went to help him. But she was kicked out of the way by another hedgehog. The hedgehog looked strangely similar to Zack. His fur was midnight blue but with forest green tips to his spikes. Essentially the opposite of Zack's. He also wore a black tank-top, jeans, and black sneakers. He had a sadistic smile on his face and held his sword walking towards Zack slowly.

The other hedgehog went up to Zack and stabbed straight through him into the wall. Zack cried out and began to bleed profusely. "So Zack." The other hedgehog began. "You thought you could get away with the Zero Emerald didn't you?" _What is he talking about?_ Amy thought.

Zack weakly rose his head and looked at the other hedgehog. "So you're what I've been feeling."

"Correct. _Little brother._" He said and stabbed the sword a little deeper. Amy gasped. _Little brother? This guy is Zack's brother? _

"So... Come to try and take the Emerald once more?" Zack said.

"What? No, no, of course not." He said sarcastically. "I would never do something like that." He flashed his smile again. "Okay maybe I would." Then he stuck out his arm and dug it straight through Zack's skin around his heart. Zack gasped and his eyes opened wide open. When the other hedgehog pulled his hand out he was holding an emerald that was pure black. As soon as he did Zack's fur lost all color and turned snow white. His head fell back down. "That's Xander 1, Zack 0. Hehe." He chuckled a bit tossing the Emerald up and down. "So Zack who's this charming young lady?" He said picking up Amy by her neck.

"Put her down damnit!" Zack commanded raising his head once more.

"Ahh I see." He said and dropped Amy. She gasped for breath. "So young one I presume he hasn't told you?" Xander asked.

Amy sat up a bit. "Told... Told me what?" She cast a scared glance at Zack who looked just as frightened.

Xander got a playful expression on his face. "So he hasn't told you he's a mass murderer?" Amy froze completely. _Wha... What?_

"AMY HE'S LYING I SWEAR!" Zack yelled out looking at her.

"Yes he killed them ruthlessly slicing them up into bits and enjoying every second of it." Xander continued talking over Zack.

"AMY DON'T BELIEVE HIM!!! DON'T LET YOURSELF GET TRICKED!!!" But Amy just sat there not knowing who to believe.

"Yes and it was all because of this." Xander finished, holding up the Emerald he had gotten from Zack. "I'm merely trying to help you and your people." He said to Amy looking sweet and forgiving. "Goodbye Zack." He said pulling out the sword and disappearing across the rooftops.

"GET BACK HERE AND FIGHT YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!" Zack yelled trying to stand. But he was suddenly too weak. "Damnit..." He whispered under his breath. He looked over at Amy who was sitting with her head in her hands crying. "Amy please believe me! He was lying!" Zack tried to tell her.

"Why wouldn't you ever talk about your past?" She asked.

"Huh?" Zack replied confused.

"You never talked about your past. Is this why Zack? Is this why?!" She got up. Her sadness turning to anger. Zack held the hole in his chest and tried to talk to her. But she kept going she walked right up next to him and started yelling at him. "The fact that you could just waltz in here and trick me like that is just," She was cut off. Zack grabbed her and pulled her into a deep, passionate, kiss. They held each other for a moment and then separated.

"Now do you believe me?" He said with a sad look on his face. Amy cried a bit more. But these weren't sad tears. These were tears of joy. She hugged him tightly.

"Zack..." He rocked her back and forth and rubbed her back. Although she was clearly hurting him. When they let go of each other Zack leaned on the wall again.

"Get the others." He told her. She nodded and went off to find Sonic, Shadow, and their other friends.

Xander jumped from rooftop to rooftop trying to find a safe spot somewhere where he could absorb the Zero Emerald. _Hehe. I'm surprised I could fool that girl so easily. That should keep them busy for a while. Then again I suppose not all of it is a lie. Hehe..._

*****le gasp* Zack has a brother?

Well I hope you liked this chapter. Me go bye-bye now!


	6. Chapter 6 The Fight part 1

And now for the epic battle!!! Zack may have Sonic and the gang on his side but with the Zero Emerald, which still has unknown powers, Will Xander be victorious? Let's find out!

Xander finally found his haven in the mystic ruins nearby. No one would find him here. And it would give him time to absorb and test the Zero Emerald. He snickered. With it's power he would be virtually invincible.

Amy rushed to Sonic's house hoping Zack would be okay by himself. When she got there she knocked on the door violently until he opened. When he saw the look on her face he instantly became serious. "What happened?"

Amy was panting from running as fast as she could. "It's Zack... He needs your help." She said. "We need to find the others though." Sonic nodded and picked her up and set her on his back like a piggy back ride. She figured Sonic would be faster anyways.

They instantly rushed to first Silver's, then Shadow's, then Blaze's, houses. Silver and Blaze went to find Tails and Knuckles and Shadow went to get Rouge. When they all gathered together they found Zack in the same spot. Sonic had been sure to bring his suitcase with the Chaos Emeralds in it with him just in case. They all sat and Zack took a deep breath.

"I suppose. I should explain." He began. "Xander, my older brother, has stolen the Zero Emerald. The Zero Emerald is the most powerful object in this dimension and with it Xander literally has the power to bend space and time. As for the Emerald's origin, each person has what is called a Numeral Emerald inside their bodies that can give them immense power. The lower the number, the more powerful the person is. For instance, humans usually range between 10 and 20. However people like Shadow, Sonic, and Silver are most likely a 3 or 4. I however was born with the Zero Emerald. Xander however, as a consequence to me getting the Zero Emerald was not given one at all. You see Sonic, your super forms are only partly caused by the Chaos Emeralds. Your Numeral Emerald is what carries the bulk of your transformation. But more to the point, I need your help to stop Xander." He finished. They were all surprised. The Chaos Emeralds apparently weren't as powerful as they thought. However Sonic took them out of the case anyway.

"Then let's do it." He said confidently. Zack smiled. As soon as Sonic transformed Silver, Shadow, and Blaze did too. And when they had all turned super and stood before Zack he finally stood. Shakily, but he stood. When he did so he reached toward Sonic and his hand passed right into him just as Xander's did to Zack. Sonic flinched for a moment but knew Zack was trying to help. As soon as Zack pulled his hand out Sonic turned into a more sparkling, rainbow, color rather then the well known gold version they were used to.

Zack stepped away. "Say hello to Hyper Sonic." He said smiling. They were all impressed. He had made Sonic even stronger then before. He then repeated the process for the others. Even Knuckles and Tails turned a pinkish color. "All right. I've done all I can. Now it's time to destroy Xander once and for all." He said this like he meant it but shortly afterwards he shed a single tear. It was his brother after all. They rushed to the Ancient Ruins. In their new forms they each had a special power that allowed them to track large power sources. They got there a moment too late.

As soon as Xander saw the small army of high-powered fighters heading right for him he absorbed the emerald as fast as he could, without thinking. It changed him indeed. His spikes grew twice their size and hung down his back. His eyes turned blood red without any pupils. His hands grew huge claws. His shoes were ripped to shreds by his huge, new, clawed, feet. He grew much more muscular and his sword and knives broke off their straps and fell to the ground due to his sudden transformation. His shirt and pants became thoroughly ripped up as well. He was a fearsome sight indeed.

They all stopped in their tracks when they saw the huge beast. "That's... Him?" Sonic asked now sounding a bit nervous.

"It appears the Zero Emerald is having an intense side affect due to his body not being fully ready for it." Zack replied. _He does look pretty strong. This could be a problem... _He thought. "Guys. He's really powerful right now mostly because the Emerald is trying to get used to his body. Try not to provoke him. We need to wait until he stabilizes before we launch our full attack." Zack told them. Sonic nodded and he, Shadow, and Silver proceeded to fly at him at full speed, barely dodging to his sides. Xander saw them and let out what appeared to be a howl. He ran after the hyper-hedgehogs but was too slow to catch them.

After thoroughly tiring himself out Xander was surrounded by a glowing red aura and howled once more. The hedgehogs were still rather cocky until Xander smashed into them faster then they realized it. "Guys! He's converting his power to speed! Try to outrun him!" Zack yelled. That's when Tails, Blaze, Knuckles, and Rouge came into play. They all ran at him while he was watching the hedgehog trio and hit him from behind.

Blaze launched him into the air with a huge fireball, Tails flew into him and knocked him back, and Knuckles, carried through the air by Rouge, knocked him back to the ground. Zack, watching it all, felt helpless. As though he couldn't protect himself. His seven friends were risking their lives for him while he sat there with Amy. He occasionally shouted to help them but it didn't make a huge difference. They still did all the work. He missed the old days... But there's no time for that now.

Xander stood, now infuriated at the smaller, weaker, animals that were attacking him. The aura turned blue. "Hey! He's converting all his power to strength! If you get hit your done for! Stay out of range!" He yelled the advice to them and they followed. They all floated just above where he could reach and those who couldn't fly were carried by those who could. He howled louder then before and out of nowhere grew huge, black, angel wings. They had not expected this and instantly broke and flew around the area as fast as they could. Xander tried to catch them but they moved so fast they became a blur. He then hit the ground with both fist causing a small earthquake and several stalagmites to come out of the ground. He then retracted the wings and turned red once more.

He jumped around on the stalagmites occasionally hitting one of his 7 enemies. They all grew tired from his hits and lowered themselves to the ground. Xander walked slowly towards them laughing in a demonic voice. He turned blue and ran at them slower then before but still at a good pace. They all moved, except for Shadow, who had been hit more then the others. He couldn't move, rooted to the spot from not only pain, but fear. The first punch felt like a train hitting him. He flew faster then he had been flying a moment ago and smashed into a mountainside. "Shadow!!!" His allies yelled out. They quickly ran over to help him. He was bleeding a lot and was unconscious. They quickly brought him to Amy and Zack and laid him down. They bandaged him up and set him against the wall to rest. _This is bad... We already have a casualty... _Zack thought, worried.

Soon Xander seemed to get slower and less powerful. And eventually collapsed on the ground. He lost his demonic eyes, claws, and overall size. He looked somewhat normal but his eyes were still blood red, however he had pupils this time, his spikes were still long and he still had the same kind of presence around him. He stood and dusted himself off, as though nothing had happened. He picked up his knives and held all of them tightly between his fingers making it look as though he had claws. He then closed his eyes and took a huge breath. His remaining six opponents stood in front of him.

Sonic was the first to attack but before he could hit Xander, he was hit by several knives in his shoulder, stomach, and legs. He fell to the ground in front of Xander and the others charged at him. One by one they fell. Blaze was knocked to the ground with a powerful punch to the stomach. Knuckles was grabbed by his forehead and blasted by a beam of energy from Xander's hand. Xander sidestepped Silver and elbowed him in the back. Tails was grabbed and thrown at Rouge taking them both down at once. They all were on the ground, breathing hard and holding their wounds. Xander laughed sadistically. "I can't believe it!" He laughed again. "I'm this strong! None of you can even oppose me!" He laughed for a bit then calmed down. "I suppose it's only natural though." He said and pulled the Zero Emerald out of himself. He held it in his hand. "Zero becomes one, one becomes one hundred, one hundred becomes one thousand, one thousand becomes one million. As long as zero remains defeating the others makes no difference. For zero will only become one million again." Xander said as though he was all-knowing. He replaced the emerald inside himself.

While he was making his speech Zack had grabbed the forgotten sword and sneaked up behind Xander. He quickly rushed through Xander with the sword. Xander stood for a moment with his arms hanging limply, a small stream of blood coming out of his mouth. Then he grabbed Zack by his throat and pulled him in front him. He grabbed the sword and threw it a few feet away, his wound healing instantly. "Tsk tsk brother. I thought you had more manners then that." Xander said shaking his head as though Zack was a small child being scolded. Xander then summoned a blood red samurai sword to his hand from nowhere. He used this to slowly stab through Zack's chest where his heart would be. After a moment Zack fell limp. All of his comrades were silently watching it. Several were crying. All Xander could do was laugh.

GASP!!! A CLIFFHANGER!!!

That's right. I just did that. Oh yeah and I kinda stole the zero speech from MGS4 (but don't tell anyone =P)


	7. Chapter 7 The Fight part 2

Sorry if this took longer then usual. I've had a lot on my mind. This is the second last the chapter so be ready for the end.

Xander laughed as hard as he could. Watching his brother, impaled on his sword. Not noticing Zack pull a knife out of his back pocket. Out of nowhere Zack quickly slashed Xander's face with the knife. Xander yelled at the pain. Clutching his eye, that had been cut. Zack pulled the sword out of himself and collapsed on the ground. "But..." Xander began. "Oh right. You don't have a heart." He said. Chuckling at his small pun. He summoned the sword to his hand and walked towards Zack again. Zack stood his ground and grabbed the knife he had cut Xander with.

The first punch felt like a train hitting him. Zack flew several feet and hit the ground. He got up to all fours but before he could stand he was drop kicked and flew again. He barely lifted his head, the blood from his forehead almost blinding him. Xander grabbed him by his spikes and held him in the air. He punched him several times and dropped him. Xander proceeded to stomp Zack's head into the ground. When Zack stopped moving he knew he'd won.

For a moment he didn't know where he was. All around him he saw nothing. _But wasn't I just... _His thought was interrupted by two children in front of him. One was a young Xander and the other was him. He saw them laugh, play, and do everything else a happy family would do. He felt a tear run down his cheek. He saw the events of his whole life. Starting from his childhood and ending with Xander standing over him. He then awoke from his short time in unconsciousness.

He got up. Xander was walking away and his friends were all slowly getting up. "Zack..." Sonic began. "Use them." Sonic held out the Chaos Emeralds to him. Zack grabbed them and quickly turned golden. It wasn't as powerful as it normally would be considering he no longer had the Zero Emerald, but it was enough. He concentrated all of his power and created a portal. Xander hadn't expected this and was quickly sucked into it. Zack powered down and everyone came over to him.

"Guys... I have to go." Zack said regrettably.

"But Zack!" Sonic said. "Xander's gone so why o you need to go?" He asked.

"The portal can't hold him for very long. Besides, in Dimension X, where the portal leads, he will have considerably less power. I should be able to defeat him. However... If I do... Know that I may not return." He said.

"Zack..." Amy said stepping up. Before she could say anything else, Zack grabbed her and kissed her.

"Don't worry Rose." He said smiling. "No matter what it takes I'll come back to you." Amy began to cry as he held her. When he let go, she lost all control and broke out in tears. Zack then stepped into the portal, waving goodbye to his friends.

There were strange colors surrounding him. It mixed together black and purple, making a murky color all around them. Xander stood, not very far away, holding two rapiers. He looked normal. Zack looked at Xander's feet and saw the Zero Emerald sitting there. Xander tossed one of the rapiers to him. Neither said a word, they knew what must be done. They stepped up to each other, stood back-to-back, and took five paces away. They turned around, bowed, and got into position.

The air was considerably thicker, and they both felt enormous pressure on their bodies. The duel seemed to last forever. By the end they were both covered in blood. Gasping for air and more tired then they had ever been in their lives. They walked towards each other, ever so slowly, and finally reached one another. They both used the last of their strength to stab their opponent. The brothers sat on their knees their heads next to each other's. Both of them leaking the last of their blood. "It seems the runt prevails again." Xander said. He was smiling. But for once it wasn't an evil, sadistic, smile. It was a loving, brotherly, smile. He shortly died afterwards. Zack began to cry. Xander had used his whole life to prepare, and shape, him. In his last moments, Xander showed his true colors.

Well there you have it. Sorry it was so short!

It's almost over but I still demand you to Read and Review!


	8. Chapter 8 The Aftermath

And now for the moment you've all been waiting for... THE FINAL CHAPTER!!! But first a message from our sponsor... That we don't have... You know what, let's just get on with it.

Amy sat at her dining room table stirring a cup of coffee. She saw her own, sad, reflection in it. It had been 2 months since Zack had went to face Xander. He said he would be back but... She was slowly losing hope. All her happiness had been draining from her body lately. Her normally happy, outgoing, lifestyle, was becoming a dark time in her life. Sonic and the others had tried to cheer her up but nothing had worked. Without Zack she was only a shell of who she used to be. She didn't think it would have such a huge affect on her but it did. The little time she had spent with him had been the best days of her life. She poured the, now cold, coffee into the sink and left her house to go to the beach. It was about 5 o'clock in the morning so nobody was there and the sun hadn't even risen. She got into her swimsuit and swam a little ways out into the ocean. She floated there, on her back, thinking of Zack, and the events that had taken place. She sat there for a long while.

When Sonic got to Amy's house and realized she was gone he quickly checked the meadow, the forest, and town square. When he still didn't find her he thought for a moment. Then he rushed to the beach and saw her. He realized that she probably didn't want to be disturbed and sat a ways away watching her. He looked at his watch, now saying 5:30. He got up and went to see what Tails was doing. When Sonic got to Tails' workshop he found him working metal over an anvil. "Hey buddy, whatcha doin'?" Sonic asked. Tails jumped at the sound of his voice and almost struck his hand with the hammer. But when he realized who it was he replied.

"I'm making a gift for Amy." He said continuing his work.

"Whaddya mean?" _What could Amy possibly want right now?_ Tails held up what he had been working on and it was a large, sharp, red hot sword. He used pliers to carry it to a bucket of water and placed it inside, causing lots of steam to emerge.

"Well I found the sword that Xander first had, that Zack used, later, and decided to make something of it. I'm going to write and inscription, make a case for it, and give it to Amy." Tails explained.

"Ohhhhh." Sonic exclaimed. "So what's it gonna say?"

"The very last words Zack said. 'No matter how long it takes, I'll come back to you.'" Sonic thought back to it and remembered Zack saying those very words.

"Yeah... I bet Amy would really appreciate that." Sonic said, his mind wandering. "Say can I help?" He asked. He wanted to make Amy happy. To see her smile once again.

"Sure thing." Tails said. He showed Sonic how to inscribe the letters into the sword and went off to buy leather to make a case. Sonic worked long and hard to make each letter perfect. He spent all day on it and eventually, he and Tails had completed their tasks. Sonic slid the sword into it's new case and they were off to Amy's house. Sonic knocked on the door, the sword on his back. Amy opened the door. She stood there in her pajamas looking at her two friends. Behind her was Rouge and Cream sitting in the living room talking.

"What's up guys?" Amy asked. She was having a sleepover and had been about to call them.

"Me and Sonic made you something." Tails said. Sonic took the sword out of it's case and showed it to Amy. When she read the inscription she almost cried. She hugged her friends tightly.

"Thank you. Thank you so much." Amy said.

"Anytime." Sonic said smiling. Amy invited them in and they said hi to the girls. Amy hung the sword over her fireplace in the living room.

"It's funny, I was going to call you two and invite you a second ago." She said to them. Sonic and Tails said they would be back in a while with their things.

When They arrived back at Amy's house it was about 7:30 at night. They all set up their sleeping bags in the living room and played rock-paper-scissors over who got the couch and the recliner. Rouge won the couch and Tails got the recliner. Sonic was right between Amy and Cream on the floor. They argued for a while over what movie to watch. Amy and Cream wanted to watch a romance film, Sonic and Rouge wanted to watch a horror movie, and Tails was too quiet to be heard over the argument. They finally decided on action movies and fell asleep about halfway through the second one.

When Sonic and Tails left in the morning they felt good. They had helped make Amy feel good. If only for a little while, they had helped her forget the tragedy that had occurred. For now, all they could do was wait silently for Zack to return. And until then, life in Mobius just wouldn't be the same to all of them.

_______________________________________________________________________

And thus, the tale comes to a close. This story may be over, but many others have only just begun....

Or to say it in a slightly less philosophical way, I have a sequel planned =P

If you enjoyed this, look for Zack's Return. It will probably be in the M section for you know what! Eh, eh? *nudges you* Or just put me on your author alert. Whichever works for you. But I'll be taking a short break before I make it.

Bye for now!


End file.
